P2.5 M marijuana burned in PNP camp

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – Marijuana plants worth P2,481,809 were burned here Tuesday after these were seized by drug enforcement and police agents in separate anti-narcotics operations in Benguet and Baguio.

One hundred blocks of dried marijuana fruiting tops were also burned here at the regional police headquarters grounds Tuesday after Marybelle Lee Demot-Mariñas, presiding judge of the First Judicial Region’s Regional Trial Court Branch 8 ordered this a day earlier.

Emely Cayandag Fama, regional Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency information officer said Mariñas led the ceremony.

The ceremony was witnessed by lawyer Oliver Jhones Sergio, counsel of accused James Bagtang wherein the 100 marijuana bricks were allegedly confiscated.

A case for illegal drugs was filed against Bagtang on July 9.

Bagtang, 27, single, native and resident of Tuplac, Pudong, Kapangan, Benguet, and an alleged trusted aide of the head of a leading drug group in the Cordillera, was earlier arrested with the marijuana worth P2,444,809.25 after he sold this to an agent of the regional PDEA who posed as buyer. in a buy-bust operation last June 7 in Bangho, Daclan, Tublay, Benguet.

Fama said PDEA investigations revealed the top drug group leader had employed Bagtang to close deals on marijuana with their clients from Baguio City and Pampanga.

Bagtang reportedly claims during his latest transaction, preceding the arrest, he had successfully sold P5 million worth of the illegal drug.

The one hundred blocks marijuana fruiting tops have a total volume of 97,792.37 grams. Reportedly, such were cultivated in Kibungan and processed into blocks in Kapangan.